This invention is concerned with document creation systems, and is more particularly concerned with such systems in which central dictation systems are connected to each other via a data communication network.
Central dictation systems are well known. A typical central dictation system includes one or more computer hard disk drives used as a central recording facility for storing numerous dictation job files. Dictation job files generally are composed of digitally recorded voice information and auxiliary data. The voice information may have been inputted into the system via a dictation station connected to the central dictation system, or via a telephone dictation module, or via a docking station into which a portable recorder was inserted.
It is also typical for dictation stations to include a numeric keypad and/or an optical barcode reader. These devices are used to enter some elements of the auxiliary data relating to the dictation job. This data typically includes author-identifying information and file-identifying information. When the central dictation system is maintained in a hospital or medical facility, as is frequently the case, the author-identifying information identifies a particular physician or other medical professional who is creating the dictation job, as well as one or more of a patient number, a medical records number, and an accession number. Other auxiliary data which may be included in a dictation job file includes data that identifies the subject matter of the recorded voice data. For example, the auxiliary data may indicate that the accompanying voice information represents a physician""s report on a physical examination and patient history, a radiologist""s report, a pre-operative report, a post-operative report, a report on a bed-side visit, or a discharge-summary.
The auxiliary data may also include one or more data flags to indicate that the job is to receive special or priority handling, etc.
Other components found in typical central dictation systems are transcription stations that are connected to the central recorder. A transcription station functions to permit a transcriptionist at the station to control listening access to the voice information in a dictation job that has been assigned for transcription to the transcriptionist at the transcription station. The transcription station generally comprises a headset and/or speakers for audibly reproducing the voice data as well as a foot pedal for controlling playback functions. A personal computer or other hardware suitable for a word processing workstation is also present at the transcription station. In some cases, the foot pedal and headset may be connected as accessories to the personal computer, which is used in integrated fashion both to handle playback of the voice data files and to perform word processing functions. The transcriptionist at the transcription station uses the foot pedal and headset to play back the voice data for the dictation job and simultaneously keyboards corresponding text into the word processing workstation or PC to transcribe the dictation job. The resulting text may be integrated automatically with data imported from the central dictation system, to form a completed document. The document may then be circulated for review and/or distribution to one or more of the author or other interested parties.
Central dictation systems also typically include predetermined rules or other procedures for assigning dictation jobs among a plurality of transcriptionist currently logged in to the central dictation system. One example of a rule that may be used for assigning dictation jobs could be that all priority jobs are assigned to one transcriptionist, and all other jobs are assigned randomly among the other transcriptionist currently logged on to the system. Other rules may direct the system to accord priority treatment to certain types of dictation jobs. For example, in a hospital environment, pre-op reports may have priority over all other dictation jobs, so that surgical procedures may be carried out promptly after a pre-op examination. Discharge summaries may be accorded second priority, since approval of the discharge summary may be the last pre-requisite to launching the billing process for a hospital stay.
It is also known to interconnect two or more central dictation systems via a data communication network. In order to balance loads or backlogs in this arrangement, dictation jobs are transferred from one dictation system to another via the data communication network.
Although existing central dictation systems, and interconnected arrangements of dictation systems, have functioned satisfactorily for their intended purposes, it would be desirable to provide even greater flexibility in meeting the needs of dictation system users and administrators. It is also desirable to better accommodate the needs and working habits of transcriptionist, particularly as tele-commuting and work-at-home practices become more widespread.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a geographically distributed dictation and document creation system in which transcriptionist may be freely assigned to receive dictation jobs from any recorder in the system.
According to a first aspect of the invention, a distributed computer dictation system includes a data-communication network, a first server computer connected to the data communication network, and a plurality of second server computers connected to the data communication network, where the second server computers each are programmed to store dictation job files and to selectively download the dictation job files to transcriber workstations connected to the second server computer from time to time via the data communication network, and the first server computer is programmed to receive log on signals from the transcriber workstations via the data communication network and to selectively assign transcriber workstations to respective ones of the second server computers in accordance with assignment rules stored in the first server computer.
According to another aspect of the invention, the system as described in the preceding paragraph is operated such that the first server computer, after having assigned a first transcriber workstation to a first one of the second server computers, is able to institute a transfer of that transcriber workstation from one of the second servers to another, by transmitting a transfer signal to the first one of the second server computers. In response to the transfer signal, the first one of the second server computers transfers the first subscriber workstation to the first server computer, which then assigns the subscriber workstation to a second one of the second server computers.
With the system and method of the present invention, transcriptionist located in a very wide range of geographic locations are freely assignable, by an administrative server computer, among any one of a large number of geographically dispersed central dictation systems. Transcriptionist are no longer tied to a single dictation system, but rather may be used as floaters within an interconnected dictation system that may be continental or global in scope.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the subsequent more detailed description of preferred embodiments.